Picky eaters update

In case you missed this post and the one before it, I should mention that my kids are picky eaters. They like hot dogs, chicken nuggets, anything you can dip and candy. That's about it. It's rather frustrating for someone who like variety in her food life to have to deal with two picky eaters.

I've tried lots of things with them over the months since I made those posts about how my kids were picky eaters and how I was going to try that list of things to see if I could get them to eat. Sometimes they were great and other times they were just plain awful.

While my parents were here, Ryan said all the food "stinks" and refused to eat a lot of things. If we sat him down and told him he had to have three bites, he'd gag and throw up. It was so frustrating. Eating at the table every night while they were here did not help him one ounce. He still ate his chicken nuggets and hot dogs the best and left the rest.

Since Halloween, Ryan has asked for candy A LOT. I tell him if he eats the tiny portions I give him... eats all of it, then I will give him ONE candy. It's like magic! The kid actually does eat! I mean, he isn't eating everything, but he's eating. He's trying. The other night he gobbled up his noodles so fast, I wasn't sure this was my kid. He's tried foods I thought he wasn't interested in and asked for more! It's all because of some candy in a jack-o-lantern like bucket sitting on a shelf in the basement loaded with candy.

I will say I have learned a few things over the past few months.

1. I cannot force another bite if the kid says he's full. It will result in him throwing up.
2. Carrots and celery dipped in ranch dressing is a great "side" to any of his meals. He gobbles them up and they are good for him.
3. Promised treats after a meal make him eat the meal.
4. His portions are WAY smaller than ours and that's okay.
5. Sometimes eating in front of the tv is a great reward, especially if it's with dad and a new movie.

Turkey

Ryan, my mom and I all worked together to create this fall turkey to decorate the house. Ryan loves projects and is really good at them. He likes seeing his finished work. This craft idea came from Pack o Fun which we get at the library most months. I like the different crafts they have in their magazine. Ryan was really happy with the finished product. Next on our project list are pilgrims to join the turkey.

I enjoy these times with Ryan doing crafts because I love listening to him problem solve and hearing what he thinks will work. He likes it because it's time with just him and mommy. We usually do these crafts during Tim's nap. I can't wait for Tim to be able to join us, but I know that's at least a half a year away. I can vividly remember doing crafts with my mother and grandmother during my childhood. My mum and I had a good laugh about some snowmen we once tried to make. It was a disaster, but we still have that memory. I hope Ryan (and eventually Tim) will look back on these projects and smile someday.

Favorite Fall Fotos

Well, this one doesn't look like Fall, but it was taken just last week when my parents were here. Tim in his car seat smiling for his Nana.

I like this one of Ryan next to this HUGE real pumpkin outside of Mike's Clam Shack.

Chicken Soup

We've all been fighting a cold here, so I thought I'd share my friend Kristin's recipe for a really yummy chicken soup. It's a twist on the old chicken noodle version and I love it because it gives me something else to choose from when I just don't feel like the old standard.

Kristin's Easy Chicken Soup

1-2 chicken breasts (literally just one or two from a package)
1/4 cup flour
32 oz chicken broth
15 oz Italian Diced Tomatoes (garlic, oregano, basil)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil.
Diced celery, carrots, onions and potatoes (I used one large of each)

Cut chicken into bite size pieces and coat with flour. Place Olive Oil in soup pot and brown chicken. Remove chicken and add celery, carrots and onions and cook till tender. Add chicken and potoatos and broth. Cook till potatoes are done.

Kristin serves this with homemade garlic bread and tops the soup with freshly grated parm.

Enjoy.

Tired

The sickies hit our house this week. We've all had some form of cold. After at day I work, I'm just beat. I will write more tomorrow.

Crochet

In an attempt to save money and have a cute sweater that no one else is likely to have, I started crocheting a sweater for myself.

Today, I had to rip it all out. I swear there is some unwritten rule that says you'll have to rip out an entire project at least once before it's done.

Frustrating...

Coupons

Another great way to save is with coupons. At work, we do a coupon swap. First, I get the coupons from my mother-in-law who gets the Sunday paper. She usually cuts out the ones she wants and then gives the rest to me. I take my turn and cut out the ones I will use and then pass them on to one of my co-workers who does the same thing. It's a great way to save. She brings in coupons for me too, usually for diapers.

You can also get coupons online for a large variety of things. A great site to check out is this one from Parenting.com. They have a list of about 1o different sites that have coupons. I will say, be careful, though. I was looking for Stride Rite shoes for Tim (he has super wide feet and we can't just buy Walmart brand ones) and it said "get 20% off plus free shipping" but there was no 20% off with that code, just free shipping.

Happy coupon shopping and clipping!